Surah At-Tawba · سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ · Juz 10

Q 9:42

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ

Translations

Had it been an easy gain and a moderate trip, the hypocrites would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allah, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allah knows that indeed they are liars.

Sahih International · EN

S'il s'était agi d'un profit facile ou d'un court voyage, ils t'auraient suivi; mais la distance leur parut longue. Et ils jureront par Allah: «Si nous avions pu, nous serions sortis en votre compagnie.» Ils se perdent eux-mêmes. Et Allah sait bien qu'ils mentent.

Muhammad Hamidullah · FR

Tafsir

If the Prophet had called the hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind to an easy reward and a journey that was not difficult, they would have followed him; but the distance he called them to cover to get to the enemy was too great for them, so they stayed behind. These hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind would swear by Allah when the Prophet returned to them, saying that if they could have gone out to fight with them they would have done so. They destroy themselves by exposing themselves to Allah’s punishment, because they stayed behind and then swore a lie. Of course, Allah knew they were lying in what they claimed and in what they swore.

Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))

Had it been a near gain and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was long for them; and they would swear by Allah: "If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you." They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars (42) Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet ﷺ for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so, لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا (Had it been a near gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn 'Abbas, وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا (and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance, لَّاتَّبَعُوكَ (they would have followed you.) But, وَلَٰكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ (the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham, وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ (and they would swear by Allah), when you return to them, لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ (If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you), had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you, يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ (They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.)

Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net